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Committee weighs changes to Garland's senior and homestead exemptions; staff asked to produce cost estimates
Summary
The Administrative Services Committee heard staff presentations on eligibility, payment options and fiscal impacts of Garland's senior (over-65) and homestead exemptions and asked staff to return with scenario cost estimates ahead of budget deadlines and a possible November ballot.
The Administrative Services Committee on April 23 reviewed the city's senior (over-65) and homestead tax-exemption framework and asked staff to produce cost estimates for several increase scenarios before the July 1 amendment deadline.
Chief Financial Officer Lisonbee Steadman summarized the fiscal footprint of current exemptions, saying, "this homestead exemption resulted in about $9,000,000 in foregone revenue" and that the senior exemption produced about $6,400,000 in foregone revenue for FY26. Staff warned that changes would shift tax burden and could affect the city's debt-service capacity.
Tax administrator Corey Whorsham outlined eligibility rules and local parameters: Garland's homestead exemption is an 11% percentage reduction (recently increased from 10%), and the senior exemption is a $60,000 flat-dollar reduction. "And here in Garland, that's $60,000 flat rate reduction," Whorsham said when explaining the senior credit.
The committee did not adopt any change at the meeting. Instead, members asked staff to return with refined cost scenarios and recommended analyses tied to preliminary appraisal estimates and the FY27 budget calendar. Staff flagged the July 1 statutory deadline to adopt exemptions for the tax year and the need to coordinate analysis with appraisal-district estimates due in May and June.
